English Literature

AQA: A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE INTRODUCTION

The course aims to teach students:

To enjoy reading widely, independently and critically To explore how texts are constructed and appreciate authorial craft To evaluate the social, cultural and historical conditions of the time in which the text was produced To assess textual evidence and make confident judgements about characters, themes and wider ideas To express opinions and construct arguments in clear and dynamic English To think outside the box, to debate ideas in lessons and to work with others in a fun intellectually stimulating environment!

English Literature is a fascinating subject which teaches exceptional written and verbal communication skills and prepares students for an enormous range of exciting careers, such as: Marketing, Publishing, Advertising, Law, Teaching, TV and the Media and many, many more!

COURSE CONTENT

Paper 1: Love Through the Ages (40%)

Shakespeare: Students will study a Shakespeare play in detail (this year our students studied Othello) and be required to write an analytical response based on an extract in the examination. Unseen Poetry: Students will be given two unseen poems to respond to and will be asked to compare and contrast them in the light of a critical comment. Comparing Texts: Students will study two texts: one poetry anthology which is pre-1900 and one prose text (this year our students studied The Great Gatsby) and compare the two.

Paper 2: Texts in Shared Contexts (40%)

Students will study three texts: one prose, one poetry and one drama. The exam will include an unseen prose extract. Here are some themes students will explore: wars and the legacy of wars; personal and social identity; changing morality and social structures; gender, class, race and ethnicity; political upheaval and change; resistance and rebellion; imperialism, post-imperialism and nationalism; engagement with the social, political, personal and literary issues which helped to shape the latter half of the 20 th century and the early decades of the 21 st century.

Paper 3: Coursework (20%)

Students will also write an extended coursework essay which will be a critical comparison of two texts. These texts (one of which must be pre-1900) are the student’s own free choice! Students are supported through oneto-one coursework tutorials. A Level English Literature students greatly enjoy the independence this opportunity provides them with - it is like being in university!

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD

Students who studied English Literature A level have gone on to undertake many exciting courses across a range of fields. From amongst last year’s cohort: Tess went to read English and History at The University of Exeter; Dionne went to read Archaeology and Ancient Civilisation at Durham University; Jasmine went to read Philosophy at The University of Birmingham. Meanwhile, Saskia has gone to read Law at Aston University and Tom has gone to read Psychology at UCL.